Monday, 5 June 2017

UCI Downhill World Cup Round 2: Fort William, Race Report

Fort William race day - the big one! Of all the World Cup rounds
it seems that here is where the heart is, the home crowds making every run a
special occasion for the team!

Race day dawned sunny but lots of rain over
night meant that the track was boggy with exposed roots waiting on every
turn.

Rachel would be chasing her 15th
consecutive World Cup win – 17th global victory if you include the World
Champs but the atmosphere was relaxed with plenty of family and friends joining
us in the pits.

It was a strange day for the Trek Factory
Racing team with both Men’s Elite riders out of the running so all eyes were on
Rachel and Kade.

But it was to get stranger still, Rachel
crashed out in her practice run, she dropped off the end of the north-shore in
the woods, hit a

rut and slammed down on her left side dislocating her
shoulder. She was taken off to the hospital for precautionary X-rays while the
team waited anxiously.

But then the Men’s Juniors hit the track.

8th place qualifier Joe Breeden was in the
hot seat with a time of 5.02.85 when Kade came on track.

Kade was up a massive 2.6 seconds by split
1 but a big OTB in the woods meant that he lost the advantage – down 1.9 by
split 2, still second quickest by 2.5 at split 3, he was closing the gap with a
mature and composed remainder of his run, just 1.1 second down by split 4 he
powered to the finish to take the hot seat just 0.1 second ahead of Joe Breeden.

Kade knew that it wouldn’t be enough, Finn
Iles was next on course, 6.5 up by split 2,
7.5 by split 4, he crossed 7 seconds up on Kade to take the
hot seat. But on the very next run Matt Walker smashed his
time by another 5 seconds. All eyes were on Sylvain Cougoureux. The French
rider was 2 seconds down at split 1, then 8 seconds down at split 2, the Trek
Factory Racing team held their breath – would he deprive Kade of his first ever
World Cup podium? He did, making up some time to cross in 4.59 for third.

Kade said “I’ve been riding here for 5
years and today I rode the top section better than I’ve ever ridden it (he was up 2.6 seconds) but then came the
woods, I nailed the first section but there were massive holes everywhere, I
knew that I’d have to dab so I safety unclipped then sure enough got stuck in a
hole! My right shoulder struck a tree, the bike flipped and I got all tangled
up in it. I reckon I lost 10 seconds easy, then I pushed on down the bottom, it
was a good run after that but I’m pretty fed up to miss the podium.

Team Director Dan Brown said: “We’re pleased
with the boy, it showed real character to get composure back after that off,
its only a matter of time before the results come.”

The women’s race was looming and still no
news from the hospital. Riders were already on track when Rachel appeared with
her arm in a sling – she’ll have further tests tomorrow to confirm the
dislocation and treatment plan.

So Rach watched the top women with her
teammates and family from the roof of the GoPro truck. It was a grueling race
with crash after crash, fellow Brits Tahne Seagrave and Manon Carpenter both
fell foul of the boggy woods, Tahnee came off her bike 3 times, rag dolling
through the mud and Manon ran with her bike through a huge stretch of the
wooded section – still enough for 4th on the day.

Polygon UR’s Tracey Hannah took the win in 5.39.298 hugely helped by staying on her bike all the
way through the woods! She scooted
through, dabbing all the way to maintain enough speed for the win!

Rachel said: “ Obviously I’m gutted not to
ride for the Fort William fans and to have picked up an injury this early in
the season but its been a great winning
streak and it had to end at some point, this is where it began and two years
later this is where it ended. Huge congratulations to Tracy for a great ride –
I’m glad I didn’t have to do it!”

The Men’s race was no less dramatic! 8th
qualifier Remi Thirion was in the hot seat when Danny Hart crashed out in the
woods, even Aaron Gwin was dabbing all the way through the wood section – it
didn’t stop him taking the hot seat but he was soon deposed by Australian Jack Moir.
Rain that had threatened the last half dozen riders was pretty hard by now,
only Loris Vergier and Greg Minaar were left on track. Loris came off in the
woods and suddenly it was all down to Greg Minaar, could he win at Fort William
yet again and make this 20 World Cup wins? He was 0.3 up by split 1, 2.99 by
split 2 and the crowd were going totally crazy. Up 3.38 by split 3, 2.8 by
split 4, Greg absolutely smashed it, crossing the line in 4.40.344 to be buried
in a huge pile of his team-mates rushing to congratulate him.